the inspired family

i’m staying this wind-y course… posting this morning as last night was a festive evening of holiday cheer and networking with our little, local business community.  can you spell, f-r-e-e-m-u-n-c-h-i-e-s?!

anywho… a little overwhelmed as i weigh the opportunities crossing my path.

in this strange recessionary world, it seems that exposure has become the new currency.  i’m all about link-y love.  i’m all about increasing traffic.  i get the importance of ‘branding’.  i am all about eyeballs… maybe not here, but certainly elsewhere.  oh, and elsewhere… and to a lesser degree, elsewhere.

it’s a brave, new world… but so very retro, when you consider this devolution, ‘back to the future’… to this, a virtual, barter system.

so, continue to weigh i shall… considering seriously how much work i’m prepared to do for mere eyeballs to support and grow my virtual presence while trying to cover my flesh-and-bones ass and my brick-and mortar mortgage and bills!

so on this morning… following a nice evening out… this (ahem… yesterday):

gerry’s mocha, no question.  thick and frothy with the necessary kick.  oh, and… thick. whipped. cream. ’nuff said!

opportunities, in all their varied shapes, sizes and expectations.  they keep coming, locally and from afar.

baby girl’s look of pure joy, in her tutu and tights- and perfect little shoes- as she flits, leaps and runs in anticipation of ballet class…

that my body speaks.  tells me i need yoga.  i had been listening… just not this week.

brisk walks with me ‘oney!  solid kicks of a tennis ball. ipod… cold play, shakira, talking heads.

a techie hubby that can pull a quick, reliable fix when i crash.

a relaxed school day.

clear sky after days of low cloud. sharp, snowy peaks.

deposits!  internet banking.  the sypathetic gal at the hardware store counter.

boys. chats with boys.  hugs from boys.

health.

equity.

slippers.

my beanie toque.

hot bath. bubbles.

tomato soup. premium plus in whole wheat.

a full tank of gas.

a crazy, supportive husband who believes in me.

a child old enough to babysit.

time to sit alone with gerry’s mocha.  the $4.50 to buy said mocha.

until tomorrow… i mean, tonight.

it’s a summer, and soon to be autumn, that has passed for this 2009 and with all of the photos i’ve shot of the kids, not a one that could be considered a contender for this year’s all-important christmas card… until today.  under the promise of  warming up with hot chocolate and treats at our local coffee shop, i was able to drag the brood off to a favourite portrait location in hopes of a suitable kid portrait for the .

one would think that as a professional i’d have a glut of possibilities. not so.  if anything, this gang can be less amenable out of sheer boredom with having a lens in their faces!  in fact, i have more food chewing, nose-picking, just plain bad attitude shots than any parent- even photographer parent- deserves!

but, despite having to be bribed, everybody totally got into it and mission was accomplished, adding to a pretty durned great day…

energetic practice- hot, sweaty, long… head to knees- yeah, ba-byyy!!

vanilla soy latte, hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and checkers.

less breeze, more sun.

fun with ol’ bessy and my minions- doesn’t get much better for a mid-november afternoon.

a happy client from the weekend… and a subsequent happy referral from happy client booked for next weekend- whooot!

time alone with baby girl… tutus… little girl’s size 11 dance slippers.

the big head of a honey beast resting in my lap asking for loves.

a pinch of time to sneak off for parent/teacher interview… with hubby. ahem.

two boys old enough to be trusted to clean the kitchen alone… and slightly fewer bowls used than yesterday- progress?

may come down a little….

or am i simply bi-polar?  the emotional ups and downs offer a better ride than even the circumstances themselves.

relied on an old vice… thank you coca-cola!  enjoyed a new one for today: chicken taquitos… yes, out of a box.  this will teach me to neglect yoga practice in the morning.  missing a good dose of precious endorphins.

anywhoooo… this is about what is, not what isn’t, yes?  and what is- and was- on this a friday… the 13th:

early morning hugs from girl child.  luv, luv, luv fresh early morning kid smell.

i’ve said it before and given it’s only the middle of november it’s pretty likely i’ll mention it many times to come, the itty bitty space heater that warms my office and my heart at 4:30 in the morning.  sirius… and  howard stern- please don’t judge… it’s 4:30 in the morning!

zen shorts, specifically the old farmer and his crazy, clumsy and freakishly blessed son… the word ‘maybe’.

afternoon snooze with girl child.  the happy sounds of boys tearing up the playroom…

that there’s a ‘bi’ in bi-polar… i can’t really imagine spending all my time at either end.

bessy and i work for money tomorrow…

what i “get to do” as opposed to what i “have to do”… it’s a much longer, more fulfilling, list.

weekend, hell-llloooo!

one moment you think you’ve got everything by the proverbial tail, and the next, well… you don’t.

i couldn’t help but laugh over dishes tonight as i considered either, 1. we’re incredibly daring and adventurous, throwing caution and conformity to the wind in this grand experiment…; or 2.  we’re so out to lunch naive it’s positively frigging scary.

but then i stared around my kitchen, the bestest time of day kitchen: dimly lit and freshly cleaned with the reassuring hum of the dishwasher; and rested in knowing that all really is well with our world… regardless whether ours was one of daring adventure or dumb-ass naivete!

with each lemon-scented breath, it all mattered less and less.  because today was just another pretty darn good day, ebbs and all:

as always a good shot of  kick ass tops the days little wonders.  my cookie… kid smell, fresh from sleep, especially when it comes with morning hugs.

another butt-early morning… the best.  my space heater.  my tidy little office, warmed up to sweat lodge proportions.  my laptop… with sirius radio.

mountain sunrise welcomed with yoga. yoga. yoga!!

finishing school module units.  whoot!  a gas fireplace in the schoolroom.  school actually being done in the schoolroom… with little prodding!  funny spelling mistakes.

my urbane and genteel husband’s excitement with today’s accomplishment… his first deer  (honestly, it’s like we’re stepping back in time… considering killing one of the neighbouring wild turkeys for american thanksgiving… erk.)

my honey.  taking time to walk my honey.  her unadultrated  joy the moment we started for the door.

my beanie toque.  tomato soup and crackers.

warm, sunny november afternoons.  stroll with camera on warm, sunny november afternoons.  the lake.

booking a gig for the weekend… that actually works with our swim meet schedule.

health.  a team.  many, many cans in the pantry… oh, and the promise of fresh venison, of course!

the interesting thing about getting work… when i’ve been so looking forward to work… is pricing my work.  first inclination is to under-price… under-promising… so i can blow socks off.  but then i’m often left working for next to nothing.  as things are way busy right now and i’ve got a lot of things on the go… despite valley budgets these days, i’m contemplating proposing high- actually making money- this time around, given the scope of the project…  with a lighthearted, take it or leave it attitude.

this tuesday… recovered kittens, clear, sunny mornings, lively local osprey, tony’s- fresh calamari and tzatziki! coca-cola,  purple… easy to install laminate flooring… so you think you can dance- canada, dancin’ kids to watch with me… the boat… time.

today… it’s all about working hard to stay the course, trying hard not to succumb to impatience. impatience quickly (d)evolving into discouragement. blues.  though for the first time, truly moving in the right direction, but feeling… that things should all fall into place… right now.

no. along with intention… there’s readiness. preparation. growth.  many components- pieces of the puzzle- fitting snugly together.  all happening as it’s supposed to on the path. staying the course.  maintaining focus.

open.  gentle. consistent.  keeping judgement at bay.

on this cool saturday evening… warm afternoon sun, cold water, j.crew khakis, my sofa, a supportive ‘fan’ of a husband, long-haired, energetic, healthy kids, kittens safe and sound, quiet early mornings… hot, strong coffee… a good wedge.  great neighbors, neighborhood… fresh air.